Executive Summary
Atlanta's City Council voted 9-5 to drop a 2021 rule that limited short-term rental licenses to a host's primary residence plus one other unit. Starting January 1, 2027, hosts can license STRs they don't live in. City lawyers warned the residency rule had lost court challenges in other places, and the sponsor said it was never enforced anyway. A push to keep a two-unit cap failed, but a separate bill to create an Office of Short-Term Rentals and regulate Airbnb and Vrbo is still held in committee. In New York, Philipstown is weighing draft rules with a $500,000 insurance minimum, a 20-minute response requirement, one booked unit per property, and fines up to $5,000 plus a four-year ban. Midland, Michigan has no cap on rental units today but is surveying residents through October 23 ahead of possible ordinance changes.
New Regulations
Atlanta, Georgia
Licensing · Published September 28, 2026
Atlanta City Council voted 9-5 to adopt Councilmember Matt Westmoreland's ordinance removing a 2021 rule that limited short-term rental licenses to a host's primary residence plus one other unit, with the change taking effect January 1, 2027. The city's Department of Law said the residency requirement had been successfully challenged in other jurisdictions and Westmoreland said the 2021 rule was never enforced, while an amendment to keep a two-unit license cap failed and a separate bill to create an Office of Short-Term Rentals and regulate platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo remains held in committee.
→ Source: Primary-residence limit on short-term rental licenses removed
Developing Regulations
Philipstown, New York
Licensing / Occupancy · Published October 3, 2026
Philipstown's Town Board took public comment on October 1 on draft STR rules that would require a two-year permit ($90 application, $100 inspection), $500,000 in liability insurance, and a 20-minute owner or agent response time, while limiting STRs to single- and two-family homes in single-family zones, one booked unit per property at a time, and two guests per room plus children 5 and under. Owners who live in one property at least 260 days a year could hold up to three permits versus two for non-residents, fines would climb from $1,000 to $5,000 with a four-year rental ban on a third offense, and the hearing continues November 5.
→ Source: Residents Assess Philipstown Airbnb Law
Midland, Michigan
General / Public Input · Published October 2, 2026
Midland is collecting resident feedback on short-term rentals through a survey on its ECityHall platform, open until October 23, asking about personal experiences and overall attitudes toward Airbnb and Vrbo properties. The city regulates STRs through an ordinance plus property maintenance and nuisance standards and does not cap the number of rental units, but planning staff and City Council will use the results to consider ordinance changes.
→ Source: Midland gathers feedback on Airbnb, VRBO through online survey
